Bars and Clubs Directory

http://www.arcrestaurant.com Noah Blom worked for Daniel Boulud in New York, opened restaurants for Laurent Tourendel’s empire, and did a pair of concepts in San Francisco. But ARC seems to be a stripped-down-to-the-essentials reboot of his career. It is an eatery that, despite the meaningless “oven-to-table” blurbs on its website and marketing material, is actually a place serving upmarket camping food such as pork and beans and pouring stiff, old-timey cocktails with whole hunks of ice. But the prices are reasonable, with nothing costing more than $15, and the commitment it makes by cooking with only firewood for fuel is admirable, even if it sounds unnecessarily gimmicky. Read more about ARC Restaurant >>

http://blackknightlounge.com/ Black Knight is in the recently renovated Triangle in Costa Mesa. Black Knight Gastro Lounge is the destination for casual socializing, midweek cocktails and your weekend stops. Our staff of experienced barmen and women serve up hand crafted cocktails, alongside a great collection of wines, local and imported beers and Champagnes, We offer comfy couches as well as bar and table lounge seating. We also have patio seating to enjoy our beautiful Southern California weather.
Black Knight’s menu features small and large plate items that can be shared and are suitable for any palette or occasion. The perfect destination for your daytime or evening festivities. We also offer a late night menu available till 1:30 for your late night cravings.
Black Knight Gastro Lounge is also home to Olive Branch Wood Fired Pizza. With a full menu of Artisan Pizza’s, salads and more. Saturday and Sunday Brunch will be served so come in and watch your favorite sports on one of our 12 HDTV’s.
Hand Crafted Cocktails, Late Night Menu and Artisan Pizza’s are just a few of the many reasons to make Black Knight Gastro Lounge your next stop. Read more about Black Knight Gastro Lounge >>

http://www.theboulevardoc.com Upscale, yet affordable bar located on Newport Blvd at Harbor in Costa Mesa. Regularly rotates 20 craft beers on tap and has a great selection of bottled beers, wines and specialty martinis (using our house-made infused spirits and fresh squeezed juices and mixers). Open 365 days a year from 3pm until 2am, with an amazing "Buy One, Get One" Happy Hour special M-F from 3-6pm on all drinks, glasses of wine and select cocktails. Read more about The Boulevard >>

http://www.cornerofficesportsbar.com To say there are a lot of TVs at Corner Office would be an understatement: Affixed to the walls are 15 flat-screens accompanied by eight projection screens as well as individual TVs linked to the bar's satellite feed at the end of every booth in the room. The joint is decorated like a sports bar, with NFL helmets lining the walls, jerseys hanging from the ceiling and beer signs covering every other available inch of wall space. The bar features four liquor-dispensing cold taps, serving up Jägermeister, two types of tequila, whiskey and vodka. They also feature a full liquor selection, a minimal variety of house wines and 12 beers on tap (including Pabst Blue Ribbon, available for the ironic beer drinker). Happy hour is Monday through Friday, 4 to 7 p.m., with domestic draft pints, house wines and well drinks for $3.50. Read more about Corner Office >>

http://www.costamesacountryclub.com The Costa Mesa Country Club in—where else?—Costa Mesa provides a great experience, with just about everything you'll need to eat up the weekend. Two full courses, the Mesa Linda and the Los Lagos, have weekday rates from 20 bucks (weekends from $30), plus discounts for fogies and kiddies. There's a driving range, hunky golf pros, daily tournament play and, of course, a full bar for that little drinkie-poo at the 19th hole. This bar also has surprisingly decent food, mostly of an Americana bent but in large platters that’ll feed your foursome. So even if you're a terrible golfer with hand-me-down clubs who couldn't get on a top-notch course even if you could afford it, you can still find total enlightenment on the links of Costa Mesa. Ah, Caddyshack: the sole connection for many of us commoners to the greatest game ever played. But it ain't gotta be that way. Read more about Costa Mesa Country Club >>

http://www.garfsbar.com As sports bars go, Garf's is one of Costa Mesa's best. Not the flashiest or the most state-of-the-art—it's just a big space, full of locals, and pretty cocktail waitresses. The bar also features four pool tables and too many flat-screens TVs to count (okay, I'll count: more than 20). The full bar serves up stiff drinks in addition to an assortment of bottled brews including Coors, Rolling Rock, Modelo and Bud Light. There's an enclosed smoking patio equipped with a few large tables and more flat screens for those jonesing from a nicotine fix. Happy hour specials are every day between 4 and 7 p.m. Read more about Garf's Sports Lounge >>

http://www.goathilltavern.com The legendary Goat Hill Tavern is everything it has been touted to be by its legions of loyal patrons: a laid-back bar with 132 beers on tap. The ceiling is a clutter with vintage road signs, moose antlers, bicycles and car bodies. Meanwhile, the floor is littered with peanut shells. A whiteboard above the bar lists the beers available in dense writing and can either be daunting to an amateur suds-sipper or a welcome challenge to an enthusiast. Labels include standard domestics such as Coors and Shock Top to more exotic brands such as Lean To IPA, Erdinger Hef and Fire Rock Pale Ale. The service is as quick as can be expected in such a crowded bar, but thankfully, the cocktails are served with a heavy hand. Recreational distractions include a partially open-air patio, where you can play a round of pool or shuffleboard. Read more about The Goat Hill Tavern >>

http://www.thelab.com This restaurant features your standard Cuban fare-everything from succulent mango pulled pork to plantain-crusted chicken sandwiches-and more gourmet offerings such as osso bucco, but the best stuff on the menu are the drinks. Whether you prefer a white sangria or a mojito or a crisp Stella Artois from the fully stocked bar inside, there's no better place to drain them than Habana's outdoor patio. It's tastefully shaded from the afternoon sun by market umbrellas and the surrounding drought-resistant California-native plants, offering a relaxing respite from the hustle and bustle of corporate Orange County. It's also a perfect spot to share a nightcap with a friend or cozy up with an after-dinner cappuccino by candlelight-when the skies darken, your table bathes in the light of hundreds of them. Read more about Habana >>

http://www.hashigorestaurants.com A great spot to grab a drink during your lunch break. While Korean food is the main event here, Hashigo is no slouch when it comes to booze. Here they serve up an impressive array of imported bottled beers and as well as sakes. Have a Heineken, or be a little adventurous and try a Hite lager. The number one selling brew in Korea, it features a sweeter taste and less head than most westerners are used to. Goes down smooth. Read more about Hashigo Korean Kitchen >>

http://The Huddle (741 Baker St.) The Huddle is a bar in Costa Mesa. It's an OC staple, cool enough to attract Costa Mesa hipsters yet unpretentious enough to cater to obvious transplants sporting workshirts with un-ironic cut-off sleeves, cowboy hats and beer bellies. Young, old, shitfaced and composed: All are welcome at the Huddle--if you're brave enough to venture past the neighboring sex shop and through the bar's windowless, concrete façade. But it's such a hospitable, comfy place, with cheap booze and open pool tables, that all folks come in and have a great time. Read more about The Huddle >>

http://www.kitschbar.com Nestled away in a Costa Mesa strip mall, Kitsch Bar is so fucking posh that they only need a sign printed in what seems to be 14 pt font. But once you locate the front door (look left!), you'll discover a swank lounge with dramatic lighting, mod-style seats, and cheeky decor featuring '70s Playboys or Bob's Big Boy dolls lining the walls. DJs spin nightly; everything from disco punk to downtempo and chill. The dress code is reasonable (no shorts or sandals), but you might want to scale it up to avoid the hipster hairy eyeball. Read more about Kitsch Bar >>

http://www.lacaverestaurant.com Open since 1962 (!), La Cave continues to be the county's place for a touch of romance and a hunk of meat. Their steaks, fine slabs of beef burnt or bloodied to your liking and as big as a school desktop, fill the innards. Their music-cheesy lounge, stellar jazz-fills the soul. And the ambiance will get you lucky afterward. Read more about La Cave >>

http://www.memphiscafe.com The "soul" in the title isn't misleading, but it's worth noting that the food at the mini-chain's darker, cozier, original location is as carefully thought-out as it is deeply felt. Catfish and po'boys will satisfy no matter who's in the kitchen: The fried catfish bears a perfect ratio of juiciness to crunch, and the po'boy dribbles onto your shirt the exact amount of horseradish mayo the cooks intended. The cornbread, made by the Gypsy Den next door, packs an irresistibly crumbly sweetness. If there's a special that sounds good, order it. The minds behind Memphis have figured out that that if they keep the best stuff limited-time-only, curiosity will keep you coming back-not that you wouldn't do so whenever a cornbread craving strikes. Read more about Memphis Soul Cafe >>

http://www.onotria.com Onotria Wine Bar represents a distinctive sipping experience in OC: It's a quiet place to get a drink. And with a 40-page wine list, you're ensured the drink you're thirsting for. Located along Bristol Avenue, which bustles with auto traffic, the garden in front of the ivy-covered building is lushly adorned with authentic grape vines. Inside, the pine-plank ceiling is pitched high and hosts a couple of slowly twirling fans. A small doorway in the main room's back wall reveals a small bar area. Here the thirsty patron can enjoy a nice Pinot, or a cocktail from the full bar in addition to the standard bottled domestics-Budweiser, Coors and Sam Adams. Read more about Onotria Wine Bar >>